> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pinecone.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create backup schedule

> Create a recurring backup schedule for an index.

<Note>
  This endpoint requires `X-Pinecone-API-Version: unstable`.
</Note>

Create a recurring backup schedule for an index. Backups are created automatically based on the specified frequency and expired according to the retention policy. Each index supports one active schedule at a time.

### Path parameters

<ParamField path="index_name" type="string" required>
  The name of the index to create a backup schedule for.
</ParamField>

### Body parameters

<ParamField body="name" type="string" required>
  A human-readable name for the backup schedule. Backups created by the schedule are automatically named `{name}-{ISO8601_timestamp}`.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="schedule" type="object" required>
  The schedule configuration.

  <Expandable title="schedule properties">
    <ParamField body="type" type="string" required>
      The type of schedule. Currently only `time-based` is supported.
    </ParamField>

    <ParamField body="frequency" type="string" required>
      How often backups are created. One of `daily`, `weekly`, or `monthly`.
    </ParamField>
  </Expandable>
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="retention" type="object" required>
  The retention policy for backups created by this schedule.

  <Expandable title="retention properties">
    <ParamField body="expire_after_days" type="integer" required>
      The number of days after which backups created by this schedule are automatically deleted.
    </ParamField>
  </Expandable>
</ParamField>

### Error responses

| Status | Description                                                                    |
| :----- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 403    | Scheduled backups are not available for your plan.                             |
| 404    | Index not found.                                                               |
| 409    | This index already has an enabled backup schedule. Disable or delete it first. |

<RequestExample>
  ```bash curl theme={null}
  curl -sS -X POST "https://api.pinecone.io/indexes/${INDEX_NAME}/backup-schedules" \
    -H "api-key: ${PINECONE_API_KEY}" \
    -H "X-Pinecone-API-Version: unstable" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{
      "name": "my-nightly-backup",
      "schedule": {
        "type": "time-based",
        "frequency": "daily"
      },
      "retention": {
        "expire_after_days": 7
      }
    }'
  ```
</RequestExample>

<ResponseExample>
  ```json curl theme={null}
  {
    "schedule_id": "c688ed12-5a39-4254-9518-bd394b7f4886",
    "name": "my-nightly-backup",
    "index_id": "d40265e4-a492-402b-9cf1-973b4908b7a0",
    "project_id": "cc95c601-bf08-4973-9a1d-a65a1b528759",
    "schedule_type": "time-based",
    "frequency": "daily",
    "retention_expire_after_days": 7,
    "enabled": true,
    "next_scheduled_run": "2026-04-24T06:00:00+00:00",
    "created_at": "2026-04-23T16:36:51.267528+00:00"
  }
  ```
</ResponseExample>